Prisoner
by Jedi Squirrels
Summary: When Luke and Han are sent on a dangerous adventure on Coruscant... and a bounty is put on their heads. What will happen? Luke torture and Han angst!
1. chapter i

Author's Note: All characters belong to George Lucas and Lucas Film. Without George Lucas and Lucas Film these characters wouldn't be in existence so thank you George Lucas! We're not making any money off of this—it's just for fun. No copyright infringement intended. We don't own anything so don't sue us. Oh, and if you read this fic before the 'insert planet name here' was … never really looked over. Lol, yeah. So we changed it. Haha, thanks for informing us!! And for the wonderful reviews! We'll update ASAP! – Andrea

Prisoner

- - -

"Master Luke, General Solo! You can't do that! You need clearance," C3PO shouted at the two men who were beginning to climb atop their TunTuns in the ice caves of Hoth—the rebel base.

Han Solo turned around, glaring at the annoying droid. "3PO, this is _very_ important business here... Luke and I never get to do anything around here with her... _worshipfulness _around."

"Ah, come on, Han. You know she hates it when you call her that," Luke Skywalker's soft voice muttered to the other man.

"Yeah, kid. I know. It's just that she looks so cute when she's angry. I can't help myself." Han grinned to himself.

Luke and Han were about to start out into the snowy planes of Hoth when they heard a familiar female voice her disapproval at Han's disrespect. "I do, do I?"

Luke turned around, smiling at Princess Leia. He watched as Han turned around with a look that said 'Where do we go this time, Princess?' But instead of saying that, he muttered through his clenched teeth, "Yes, your highness...?"

Leia let out a sigh and rolled her eyes. "It is heard that Imperials have the coordinates to this base. Luke," she turned to the sheepishly smiling Jedi, "you and Han are assigned to go retrieve the coordinates from the Imperials before they give the information to the Emperor. If you were to fail..."

Han finished, "We would all be blown to Kingdom Come."

"No, Han..." Her eyebrow twitched. "The rebel base would be destroyed, and the Rebellion crippled."

"Where to, your worshipfulness?"

"Coruscant."

Luke, still maintaining his boyish grin, questioned, "When do we leave?" He jumped off the TunTun and stood before the Princess, hands behind his back.

"Sixteen hundred hours—tomorrow. You'll be undercover... most likely for at least a week. You'll both be staying in a motel room in the lower levels of Coruscant. You will both be posing as lowlifes. Well, at least Luke will be posing..." She eyed Han, a small grin beginning to form.

- - -

As Han piloted the Millennium Falcon through the atmosphere of Coruscant, he realized how much he missed his Wookie partner, Chewbacca. He looked over at his co-pilots seat, not seeing his fur ball friend. But instead he saw blonde-haired, bright-eyed Luke Skywalker, who smiled at Han then turned back to the screen. At various times throughout the voyage to Coruscant, he regretted sending Chewie back to his home-planet, Kashyyyk. Admittedly Chewie deserved a chance to see his friends and family.

"So, what do you think about Leia?" Luke asked Han quietly.

Han paused for a moment and looked over at Luke. "Why?"

"I dunno... you two don't seem to get along much," he stated. He did not turn to Han at all, keeping his eyes fixed on Coruscant. 

Han replied arrogantly, "She just can't handle me and my good looks."

"You know, Han," Luke began slowly. "You're cocky."

"Shut up, kid."

- - -

After landing the _Falcon_, Luke and Han wandered the lower levels of Coruscant. Luke unconsciously looked behind him every few moments—paranoid. He kept his hand near his light saber just for precaution. Han noticed his friend's paranoia.

"Don't worry, kid," he muttered with a half-grin, "I grew up here. I know where we're going."

Luke eyed Han for a moment. "Han." He paused. "You do realize we've been passing the same building more than a few times."

"..." Han coughed. "..."

"Ah, don't worry, Han. If I stop following you, we'll get there." He smiled goofily.

"Ha. Ha."

Eventually, they reached their destination. Leia had pre-rented a grungy room for the two rebels.

- - -

In the dark apartment room, a figure slumped against the wall on his bed. Luke's gaze had finally left the door, and he shut his eyes. Han was sleeping like the dead in his own bed—blaster under his pillow. Leaning his head against the wall, he was beginning to fall asleep, sitting up. But he thought he had heard something in the room.

His eyes snapped open to meet blackness.

Shaking off the disturbing feeling the Force was giving him, he drifted off to sleep.

A while later, while the moons were high overhead, Han's eyes snapped open to feel cold metal pressed against his temple. He immediately reached for his blaster, as a reflex, but found it was removed from under his pillow.

His eyes darted to the side to see Luke. He was about to yell out something, but he couldn't find his voice. His friend seemed to be wearing some kind of collar around his neck. Cuffs bound his wrists, a distant look in his normally bright eyes.

Han was jerked up out of his bed and practically forced on his feet. He felt slimy hands on his wrists, snapping cuffs on. Something was injected in his neck, and instantly, his muscles went numb.

__

Bounty hunter! Han thought.

The bounty hunter ordered Han to walk out. He noticed there was another one beside Luke—possibly female. Han tried to oppose, but realized resistance was futile. His muscles obeyed the bounty hunter unwillingly and he walked stiffly out of the room. Luke dazedly followed.

- - - 

Luke finally felt himself coming around. He didn't know where he was, or when he was. He just knew Han was beside him, most likely, bound as well. He knew who had captured him long before he saw their faces. They were bounty hunters.

He felt his fingers quiver slightly behind his back. He turned to Han. His neck moved. "Han." His voice worked. He stopped walking; ready to take out his saber when he realized it was gone. He closed his eyes, and began walking, as if nothing had happened.

He felt a cold hand on the back of his neck that made him shiver.

"You will stay quiet until we reach planet Dugnen. You, Jedi," the voice muttered inhumanly through its mask, "will be very useful in getting our Solo to talk."

Knowing his mind tricks would not work on the bounty hunter, he decided to keep quiet.

The ship was in sight, Luke could see now, and it didn't look like such a pleasant one, either. His eyes darted to the side to see his capturer eyeing him through her disturbing helmet that shielded her face. He also noticed his saber was attached to her belt.

He looked forward, seeing the other bounty hunter; his eyes fixated the ship with Han at his side. He quickly turned to look at the other bounty hunter. She pointed at him, realizing he was _very_ conscious. Right at that moment, Luke lashed out with his left foot and kicked her sideways. With the aid of his athletic ability (he learned thanks to a certain little green midget), he did an amazing flip in the air, looping his cuffed hands under his legs and bringing them around to the front.

He heard the bounty hunter yell out something in her native language but Luke quickly snatched his saber off her belt and lit it instantly. She whipped her blaster out, but he quickly chopped off the hand that held it. She screamed, stumbling backwards, very, very close the edge.

Luke jumped forward and kicked her off the edge.

She fell, screaming.

Blaster bolts whizzed past his hair. He turned to see the bounty hunter shooting at him. He tried to deflect all the blasts, but since he was bound, it wasn't easy to move his arms left and right.

One blast hit him in the shoulder, and as he stumbled back, he felt another blast hit him square in the chest. As he crumpled down, consciousness began to fade. He felt the heavy boot of the bounty hunter press down against his neck.

The creature spoke in Basic, "Try again and I'll kill your friend—then you."

His light saber dimmed.

- - -

Luke was lying in the corner of the dimly lit room. It reminded him of a cold, steel box. And he was trapped in the middle of it. Blinking again, he looked around the room, searching for Han Solo, who he saw lying in the opposite corner.

Han awoke to a dull thudding in his temples. He opened his eyes to see Luke crouching over him.

"Finally, I thought that I was going to be yelling at you forever!" Luke exclaimed.

"How long have we been here?" Han inquired.

" I don't know, I woke about a half hour ago." Luke replied

Han noticed that there was something different about his friend, but it took him a moment to pin point it. There was some sort of collar around his neck! Han's hands shot up against his own free will to check if he had one as well. There was nothing around his neck.

"Luke, what is that… thing around your neck?" Han asked

Luke brought his fingers up to touch the metal collar around his neck. He knew he was wearing it. And he knew what it did. What he didn't know was how to _take it off_. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to use, or just even _sense_, the Force. He suddenly felt numb and he didn't like that cold feeling. He opened his eyes and his eyebrow flinched. This collar seemed to block his every sense from the Force.

"It doesn't allow me to use the Force."

"Those bastards! What do they want from us?" Han yelled in a rage.

"I don't know. Han promise me that you won't tell them anything about the Alliance, OK?"

"Yeah, sure kid" Han replied warily. There was something that seemed to troubling Luke, but he couldn't figure out what. And it angered him that these bounty hunters would put a collar around his neck like he was some sort of animal.

"Luke are you ok?" Han asked

"Yeah…." Luke trailed off

"Yeah…. What?" Han wondered

"I was just thinking about what the bounty hunter told me…" Luke trailed off again.

"What did he tell you?" 

"He told me that I was 'going to be very helpful in getting you to talk'." He pointedly looked at Han. "What does that mean, Han?"

That kid was so naïve at times. "I don't think that you want to know," Han muttered to himself.


	2. chapter ii

A/N: Yep.  Second chapter.  Thanks for the wait, kids.  Thoughts are in italics and junk.

- - -

Prisoner

Chapter II

- - -

Han, still sprawled out on the cold metal floor, wondered what they could want from him.  Maybe, Han thought, since he had been on _quite a few smuggling missions it had something to do with that. _

_What could be of any importance? Han thought._

Well nothing came to mind but that didn't mean it still wasn't related to a smuggling mission.  Obviously, these bounty hunters weren't after him for Jabba's bounty—why would they want them both?  

_Maybe they're just assholes._

Just then his ears picked up the sound of boots in the hall.  

"Luke! You still there? They're coming," Han whispered.

Han leaned nonchalantly against the wall, trying, but failing, to seem at ease.

The door to their cell bounced open as if some one had kicked it in. The bounty hunter entered, Han and Luke had assumed that he was male but there was really no way to tell. He walked purposely in the room followed by a flowing black cape. As he turned Han could see that he defiantly was a male. He had discarded his helmet to allow them to see his face.

"You may address me as Lord Mandala," Mandala spoke as he entered the room.

"What do you want from us?" Han asked in a menacing tone.

Totally ignoring Han's question, Mandala just pointed at Luke and motioned to him to come with him.

When Luke made no move Mandala silently motioned for a guard to forcibly remove him.

This, apparently, was too much for Han, without a thought he was up and in front of Luke, protecting him.  Mandala seemed ready for this and with one quick motion of his hand the guard raised a small gun and shot him with a dart.

Han, who instantly felt the affects of the drug in his system, fell to the floor.

The guard casually stepped over the prone figure and grabbed Luke and dragged him out of the cell.

- - -

Some time later he awoke to the same throbbing feeling. He gazed around the room searching for any sign of Luke but he wasn't there.

- - - 

As he was marched out of his cell, Luke saw that they were on a very nasty planet. The scenery from his point of view was non-existent. Out of the one small window he passed, he could tell that they were on a planet with very little flora or fauna. He filed away his surroundings so that if when the time arose he would know where to go to escape.

Suddenly, he was brought to a halt. Turning he saw that he was being lead into another room very much like the one that he had just left. Although this one had an evil-looking upright table attached to the far wall.

Until then, Luke had kept a measure of calmness, but now, not knowing what these people wanted and facing the prospect of torture, his mind went into over load. He got a wild look in his eyes and started struggling.  The guard had a hard time keeping Luke under control. Finally, he brought out an old fashioned baton and beat Luke until he stopped fighting.

They ushered, or, better off said, threw Luke into the room. He landed hard on his face, as he picked himself up he noticed blood on the floor beneath his nose. Not waiting for him to make it all the way to his feet the guard grabbed him and pinned him against the table. Two others strapped his wrists, ankles, and neck down with metal cuffs that attached to the wall.

_Oh, Force, Luke thought distastefully._

The guards filed out of the room, certain that Luke would not longer be a problem.

Mandala stepped in front of him, so close that Luke could smell the stench of his breath. 

"What do you want from us?" Luke questioned, trying to keep the waver out of his voice.

"I think you know what we want," the bounty hunter stated.

Suddenly, a gloved hand gripped his forehead violently, slamming his head against the wall.  Luke's eyes darted from side to side, trying to see what Mandala held in his other hand.  He felt something cold against the nape of his neck.  His eyes widened and he tried desperately to reach out to the Force for comfort—but it wasn't there.  He felt a needle stab into his neck and his eyes flung open.

The substance that was injected in him seemed to immediately run through his veins.  It was cold, unbearably, utterly, and deathly cold.

Jedi don't scream.

But had he been a Corellian, he would've screamed so loud that he would have no voice left.

His fingers felt numb instantly.  If he were to get interrogated—how would he be able to talk if he couldn't even move?  Then a horrible thought came to his mind: _maybe they don't want me to talk._

Luke felt the needle get ripped out of his skin—he hadn't even realized that the bounty hunter was still pumping the substance into him until he took it out.  From not being able to move, he found that he was shivering.  His eyes felt heavy and he struggled to keep them open, watching Mandala move across the dark room.

Mandala came back and hovered over Luke, staring down at him.  Something was in his hand—a jar, maybe?  Luke's eyes tried to gaze at whatever he was holding, but he felt his eyes roll back into his head and he felt completely numb.

It was either numbness, or he had no control over what his body did.

The prick in the nape of his neck began to sting, then stab, and then it seemed to tear.  Luke then let out an ear-piercing scream.  _Whatever was tearing at his neck was now letting its small slimy body into _him_.  The creature, which he now recognized, was a Mandelian lachmoin.  The tail of the creature finally entered his skin.  His breathing was raspy, quick and panicked.  His eyes quickly shot open and they darted down towards his torso, trying to locate where the creature was crawling around..._

"Tell me," the bounty hunter began, his voice deep, probing... "where was the glittersim shipment your friend was carrying dropped off at?"

"I—" Luke began, his voice raspy, "I don't know what—what you're talking about!"

But when Luke talked, he noticed his voice wasn't _right_.  

"If you don't talk now, then I will let the parasite continue its path through your body…."

Luke could _feel that _thing_ crawling around in him. The thought of it made his stomach lurch._

"… eventually it will find its way to your brain. On some people it does nothing, _but_ we have never done this _procedure_ on a human before."

Luke felt himself getting unlocked from the table and getting jerked up to stand on his feet.  The bounty hunter then shoved him somewhere—but everything was going far too fast for Luke to undertand where he was—and the Force wasn't there to guide him at the moment.

A few seconds later, he heard a voice as he was curled up against a wall, shivering—cold.

"Hey, Luke?  Kid!  Luke, answer me!"

- - -

Han saw as Luke was thrown roughly into their cell. _Crap_, he thought, _why did they have to do this to him? _

Han crawled over to the prone figure of his friend. 

"Hey, Luke? Kid? Luke, answer me!" 

Luke moaned incoherently, "Glut-t-t-ersummm…  Han…?  Shipment… where… Mandala…"  Luke crumbled against Han, mumbling on and on.

_Glutttersummm? _What?_ __Ohh, glitterstim is that all that this is about?_

"Luke, what did they do to you? Don't they know that you didn't do any of those shipments with me?" Han thought aloud.

"Why…" Luke mumbled.

"Why…?"

"Why… are they doing… this?"

"I think this has to do with the shipment I did a _long_ time ago for Jabba!" Han exclaimed, sitting Luke up and pressing him against the wall, examining his state.

Luke's eyes seemed dazed, trailing off away from Han and he was murmmering about something crawling… in his skin.

"Mandalian lachmoin?!  Luke, what'd they do to you?"

"Don't—know."

Luke shivered, bringing his knees to his chest for some kind of warmth.  He could feel his fingers and arms, but they were cold.  He knew the lachmoin, the leech-like creature was crawling somewhere inside him.  He had to get it out before he _accidently_ spilled any information out about the Rebels.

Han had never seen his friend like this before, in a helpless state, confused and hurt. 

"Damn you people!!" Han shouted as his fist collided with the floor. " You pieces of Bantha fodder!!!"

"Shipment," Luke went on, teeth chattering, "What's the glitterstim shipment?  The recievier… was it Jabba?"

"I'd better not tell you that now, kid. If I tell you than they will have something to get out of you, and they will continue doing things to you until you tell them. Maybe they will stop when they realize that you truly don't know"

_At least I hope so, Han thought._

- - -

Luke had somehow fallen asleep earlier that night (or was it morning?)  He opened his eyes, but only to see darkness.

"Han?"

He was at least somewhat glad that he could talk.  His fingers trailed up to his neck, and realized that the force-inhibiting collar was… gone?

"Han!"

Still, Han did not answer.  Closing his eyes and leaning against the wall, he reached out into the Force to find the location of his friend.

Han was not present in their cell.

- - -

_Now what? _Han wondered, as he was manhandled out of their cell. He got a look at his surroundings and noticed that the place they were being kept was apparently all metal. 

_Not very creative, these guys. _Han thought sarcastically.

He arrived at a door and was shoved through into a square room with an upright table attached to the wall.

_I don't like the looks of this_

The guards deposited him in the room and then turned on their heels and left.  Only two, that, were already in there when Han got there remained. 

"Solo."

Han swung around to locate the owner of the voice.

"Your friend wasn't very helpful to us, so we thought that we could talk to you." Mandala said.

_Talk_ Han thought _so that's what they're gonna call it_.

Out loud he said, "Talk about what?"

"The glitterstim shipments that you did a few months back. And the current location of the Rebels."

_Is that that what all this about? Finally they get to the point_.

"Why do you need to know that?" He replied.

"That is not for you to know." 

"Screw you." Han shouted.

As soon as he uttered the words one of the guards came forward and without hesitation swung the butt of his rifle into his face.

The shot connected with his temple and threw him onto his side on the floor, seeing stars. Apparently this was not enough for the guard. 

Han winced as the guards foot connected with his rib cage, over and over again. 

The guard was merciless; Han knew that if he did not stop soon then he would be out of it.

_What a bastard_ he thought.

_What could possibly be so immmppoorrtannt…_ Was Han's last thought as he passed into oblivion.

- - -

Luke stared dispassionately at the bland cell.

_I suppose it's a good thing that that damn collar is off_ He thought, _but what of it? Why would they suddenly take it off?_  

Just then he felt a shiver at another thought _Maybe since they did what ever they did to me they no longer see me as a threat,_ that was not a good thought.

Luke's eyes suddenly opened wide as he felt through the force that Han was in terrible, excruciating pain.

- - -

Han awoke in the same cell that he had passed out in. Strapped down to the table that had once been upright and was now parallel to the floor.

_Great_ he thought _just wonderful_.

"Ah I see your awake, perfect timing." Mandala said. His voice coming from somewhere out of Han's sights.

Han felt a small draft, and in looking down realized that his shoes were off.

_What the hell is going on here? _Han wondered.

Just then Mandala came into view, holding something that looked like a rather nasty impersonation of a knife or a scalpel. 

"I was hoping that when you came to you would be a little more helpful than when you fell asleep." Mandala said while examining the blade he held.

_Fell asleep, huh, that's a nice way of putting it._

"I was thinking that we could maybe talk about a few things, namely the ware bouts of the glitterstim shipments you did a little while ago and the current location of the rebel base.

"If that's all you want to talk about then this is going to be a very quite room. Unless, of course, you want to talk about the latest swoop races, I've seen a few they're quite good. Or about some of the pod races on Tatooine, I'm not up to date on the subject, but I'm sure that we could find some common ground…"

Han was silenced as Mandala's hand, gloved in a thick material, greeted Han's face. 

"I see that you will not be as willing as I had hoped, very well have it your way."

Mandala moved quickly and grabbed Han's foot in the blink of and eye.

Carefully holding it so it could not even so much as twitch, he brought his knife near.

It was then that Han began to sweat.

Examining the blade on last time, Mandala placed the tip of it to the soft, tender skin right below the tough skin of the ball of the foot. He pressed in slightly and it punctured the skin like butter. He grinned as he heard a small gasp for the prisoner.  Increasing the pressure he drew the knife down the length of the foot ending at the tough skin of the heal. 

- - -

Han gasped as the knife was gouged into his skin. He realized that in cutting into that area of the foot, he would not be able to use it with out a considerable pain.

He winced as the knife cut tendon after tendon in his right foot, making his toes curl inwards. That was the last that his toes on that foot would move because all the muscles controlling it were severed.

The gloved hand came down upon his face, sending him into blinding darkness. 

- - -

Luke had been sitting there for about a half an hour after the chest pain had gone away, when there was an excruciating pain in his right foot. His eyes watered with the intensity of it. 

_Just what did they do to me?_ He wondered.

Luke flinched as the door to their cell was flung open. The light from outside was considerable compared to that of the cell, so all he could see was the silhouettes of men in the doorway.

One entered, carrying something in his arms. Dropping it in the corner farthest from Luke with a dull thump, the guard practically ran from the room.

Luke carefully crawled over to the object, and realized it to be the prone figure of his friend. He rolled him over, noticing the paleness of his normally tanned face.

In the dim lighting of the room, Luke inspected Han's injuries. It seemed to him that Han has at least two broken ribs and some very deep slashes on his right foot. His _right_ foot.

Just then he remembered the chest pain that he had a while earlier, and more recently the horrible pain in his _right_ foot.

_Sith!_ He thought. _I must be feeling Han's pain through the force. He must have been in terrible pain for me to feel it that strongly_

Now he knew just why they had removed the force collar, _they want me to feel everything that they do to him plus more, in hopes of breaking me. I'm surprised they even know of the Jedi. Obi-Wan had told me … that the Jedi were in hiding—almost extinct! How could they know? Unless… they have their connections… and only Vader … only Vader and the Empire know…_

- - -

A/N: Do you like it?? If you have any ideas about what would be cool to have happen next, we are open to suggestions!! Feed back is wonderful!


	3. chapter iii

A/N; Sorry it's been such a long wait.

• • •

prisoner; chapter iii

—the corridor

• • •

__

Gotta get away… Han looked dazedly around, there was a fine mist thick enough so that he couldn't see more than five feet in front of him, but thin enough around him so it didn't feel like moisture. He could here it back there, the thumping of its gargantuan feet.

He moved faster through the rebel base on Hoth. 

When he got close enough to the walls, the sights would make any one sick. There were rebels scattered along the ground. Some were hanging on the wall; around their necks were… ropes. The nooses cut sharply into the dead flesh. The ropes had been severed about a foot away from the noose, and they had been tacked up cruelly, like dolls. The cloying, revolting scent of the dead filled his nostrils. The twisting corridors seemed to go on forever—twisting and turning this way and that.

Running blindly through the unfamiliar corridors, the thick fog didn't part until he ran smack into dead body, hanging in the dead end. With a horrified expression, he clambered to his feet, trying to see the face of the poor soul. 

He looked up into the very large and very lifeless eyes of _himself_. 

Screaming, he frantically searched for another hall, anywhere away from the sight before him and that thing that was chasing him. Seeing what could have been a corridor he blindly headed down it. He could hear it behind him, getting closer even as he ran faster. He stopped, crouching down to catch his breath; he suddenly felt a cold sensation come over him.

Slowly he stood, not wanting to turn, but his eyes started to move against his will. Ever so slowly his head started to turn…

• • •

Luke was sitting next to the prone figure of his unconscious friend. He was lost in thought, thinking about the connections between Vader, these bounty hunters and Jabba. So lost in thought was he that the first time Han moved, in what seemed like hours, he didn't catch it.

The second time though, snapping back into reality, Luke caught the movement. Storing the thoughts in the back of his mind, he focused his attention on Han.

Han was moving in his sleep, groaning and had labored breathing. Luke knew that it was not a fevered sleep, so he did not worry too much, everyone had bad dreams. But when a piercing scream echoed through the quiet of the cell, Luke jumped. Turning and seeing Han tossing and turning, he gently tried to shake him awake. Getting no response, he was going to use the force to probe Han's mind but, seeing that his friend had settled down, stopped. 

Suddenly, a scream like no other escaped Han's lips as he jerked awake. Groaning from the pain in his ribs, Han wearily sat, propped against the wall. 

• • •

Mandala paced the cell restlessly. This was harder than he originally thought. Jabba had promised 9,000 credits for the delivery of Han, and Vader had promised to match that plus some for the information on the location of the Rebel Alliance. But they hadn't planned that Luke would put up any kind of fight, let alone manage to kill is fellow bounty hunter. Lord Vader had forewarned him that Luke could use the force, but obviously they didn't know how much Kenobi had taught him. 

This, he decided, would cost some extra credits. Making his decision, he ordered a guard to turn on the computer console and contact Lord Vader. 

"Yes." The visage of the dreaded Lord Vader appeared on the monitor. Mandala, who could usually stare down an angry rancor, felt his insides turn to jelly. 

"Ahghem. Yes, Lord Vader, I have successfully captured Skywalker and Solo. There is only one problem in the process of taking them, my friend was killed, and I will need compensation."

"Compensation."

"Yes, my Lord."

"I see, you do not think that I am paying you enough?"

"No, the pay is fine." Mandala answered, fearful of making this… man… angry. 

"Then I do not see the problem."

"I'm sorry that I have disturbed you, my Lord, I will report to you as soon as I find out the location of the Rebels."

"Good."

The imposing image of Vader flickered off the vid screen, Mandala sighed in relief that he managed to get out of the situation without Vader using his infamous force-choke on him.

No luck in the credits department though. Well, not yet, maybe Jabba could help him with that. 

A half-hour, and one call to a Hutt lord on a small useless Outer Rim planet, later Mandala felt well since he had secured an extra 2,000 credits for the death of his partner. 

• • •

Han half-lay half sat against the wall. Watching in fascination as Luke attempted to heal his foot using the force. Although Han was not a force sensitive Luke said that it should work.

__

Why is this not working? Luke thought. _Since he isn't a force sensitive it won't start erasing it miraculously, but it should start a healing process. Why am I not seeing any of that?_

Luke sat back on the floor, trying to think of why nothing was happening. Luke noticed something strange, when trying to heal another using the force; one would normally feel it flow through them like water through a gate. But that was not happening.

Suddenly, Luke felt a terrible, piercing chill stab up his spine. He shivered, leaning against the filthy wall. He tried to center his breathing.

"Are you all right, buddy?"

Luke didn't answer for a moment. He felt the blood rush from his head. "I think you're the one that's… not all right, Han," he breathed. His fingers trailed to his neck, feeling around his clammy skin. He was not fine. "I'm fine. I think—we should focus—on getting out of here. They're not going to stop torturing us until we tell them whatever they want. We have a better chance if we just… try to escape."


End file.
